Original packaging
An estimated 1000 promotional sets of three posters depicting every card from the Alpha / Beta sets were produced by an organization known as "The Charity Fellowship". These were titled as "The Magic Card Catalog". The Charity Fellowship was not a "charity" in the conventional sense, but rather a card clearinghouse of sorts that helped people finish sets. This organization was lead by David Moore, a card seller and ordained minister known locally in the Rochester, NY area as "Reverend Magic".
"Reverend" Moore apparently received permission, shortly after the Beta release, from Wizards of the Coast to produce and distribute these posters, though formal permission was received after they were printed. If this is true, these posters are likely the very first licensed Magic: The Gathering products ever distributed. A local collector and player, named Eric, provided the cards used to make the posters. The cards were arranged closely together in the desired order, and photographed. Indeed, upon close inspection, small defects can be seen on the card images. Some color proofs and roughs of the poster set were made and are in a private collection.
At some point, it is believed that WotC retracted their permission for these sets, possibly as a result of the photographic quality of the posters and concerns that they could be used to produce counterfeits.
Sheet 1
Sheet 2
Sheet 3
Title section
Posters[ | ]
The posters are large (18 1/2" X 24") and professionally laminated. All cards from Beta, as well as the original Alpha misprints (such as the Cyclopean Tomb with a missing casting cost) are reproduced at approximately two-thirds (2/3) scale. The cards are arranged by color alphabetically:
Each poster contained the following text. The phone number and address are no longer available for contacting The Charity Fellowship.
The Magic Card Catalog
1,000 Series Limited Edition Print
Poster (#) of a 3 poster set
Authorized by Wizards of the Coast, Inc., for donation, to The Charity Fellowship
Magic: The Gathering is a trademark of Garfield Games
Produced at the RIT Center for Imaging Science and NTID Printing Prepress Technology Department
The Charity Fellowship, Box 22778, Rochester, NY 14692
Call 1-800-FULL-DECK (800-385-5332) for product information
or to buy, sell or trade "Magic: The Gathering" cards.
Booklet[ | ]
Each set was sold with a twenty-page booklet from Charity Fellowship described as a "Catalog, Commentary, Critique, and Review". The booklet contained a full listing of the cards pictured, as well as game text from the cards and casting costs. Each card also had a (now amusing) rating/review of its play value. Included also were a few articles and commentaries written by Reverend Moore and others.
A very few booklets were produced with a full-color cover. These were given to close associates of Reverend Moore.
Booklet's cover page.
Color version of the booklet's cover page.
Booklet's back.
Another look at Sheet 1
Another look at Sheet 2
Another look at Sheet 3
References[ | ]
- Much of the history of this set comes from Paul W. Meyer ("Crazy Egor").